Is it just me?

I check CL almost everyday, like everyone else looking for bargains. Lately it seems a lot of the posts are for junk at almost new prices. I see tablesaws that look like they went thru WWII and all rusty tables and prices that are ridiculous. Jointers and RAS’s the same way.I don’t expect something for nothing but some of this stuff wouldn’t make a good boat anchor.

29 comments so far

I too have been looking at Craig’s List and noticed the same. Most tools look horrid AND they are 75-80% of the cost of a new tool. Or they are “vintage” or an off brand that is low budget tool at leading tool brand prices.

However, there are a lot of people who do not the cost of tools and must buy at these prices.

A lot of tools left outside and rusted…

-- WaywardHoosier - Behind schedule and over budget, but who's counting? Well of course she is!

Yup, some people are just awfully proud of their junk. I saw a posting on CL the other day for what appeared to be a pretty beat up lathe and a bunch of accessories (junk gouges and such) that he said he “bought new two years ago for almost $800.00 total” but that he needed more room in his garage so he was willing to sacrifice it/them for $625.00.

-- ♫♪♪♫♫ Saddletramp, saddletramp, I'm as free as the breeze and I ride where I please, saddletramp ♪♪♪♫♪ ...... Bob W....NW Michigan (Traverse City area)

I have seen it both ways – just today I saw a used Delta dust collector for $100 more than a new one, but then a guy is selling a Grizzly Ultimate 14-inch bandsaw (looks brand new) for $300 – wish I had $300…

it is a crapshoot for sure, just have to be patient and meanwhile get a laugh out of some people’s antics!

Tom

-- “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Pablo Picasso

On the other hand, try selling on Craigslist. Most people I’ve dealt with almost want you to pay them to take it. Over the last several months, I tried to sell multiple items, mostly musical instruments I don’t need.I have researched and tried to be very reasonable on my pricing. I get ridiculous offers before they even look at the item. I still have a Yamaha sound system for sale. Some of it has never been used, the rest used very little. It is priced less than half what I paid for it, and I still can’t sell it. I sold a Honda reel mower a while back. I used it one season—paid over $800 (it was in excellent shape), and asked $250. The guy offered $240 and wouldn’t buy it unless I gave him a “deal”. I have a SCMI Sliding table saw for $3,500 that was over $8,000 new. It is also in very good condition. Couldn’t sell it either. So, if you want a great deal, maybe you should check my CL postings. Evidently, being reasonable in your pricing doesn’t work either.

My point is, this works both ways. I’m sure you are right about some things being over-priced, but I promise, not everything is. I guess my question is—are they actually getting those prices?

Sorry for the rant, but as you can tell, Ive been rather frustrated lately.

I have had success lately buying a few items on CL, all the items had been miss spelled or mislabled, so they had been for sale for a bit with no takers. So I got them cheap, I too have noticed a higher rate for used iron tools up here in Canada.As for selling, I recently sold a very nice fishing reel, the first guy who showed offered me a third less than the list price, I asked for the list price, then he argued with me about what I had it listed for, so much that I had to go to the computer and check after he left. the next guy who showed was happy to have the item for the bargin I was selling it for. Some people are just looking to take advantage . It all works out in the end.

regards

-- Junior -Quality is never an accident-it is the reward for the effort involved.

Yeah, I completely agree! I look through the whole section and I’ll finds decent item, but then the price is what i could by brand new from the manufacturer. It just seems like there are a lot of people who don’t realize depreciation of tools.

Since I am fairly new into woodworking I look there to find deals so I can fill the holes in my shop, but i am finding that CL is not the place to do it.

Kind of going against the grain here but remember that an item that is priced to sell (a bargain/or reasonably priced) may sell pretty quickly and casual CL lookers may not even see them show up because the “lister” deletes the posting as soon as the item is sold. So if you look at it at the end of the day, most of what is left are the ones that are not appropriately priced…just a thought…

For example a few days ago I picked up a brand new in box 6” bench top delta grinder for $20 (retail price $80+ on amazon for a newer model with the same features). When I looked at CL it was the first listing so it must have been just listed, it was 8 miles from my house so I called the owner and picked it up immediately. By the time I got back the listing had been deleted.

Of course none of this is to says that most of what is on CL is not overpriced junk :)

Boy did you hit that nail in the head, that’s all that is on my CL is junk for the price the person paid for it when it was new.

I can’t tell you how many Craftsman Table saws are on CL in my area that have been sitting in a field and still the seller wants $200+ for it… get a grip on reality, used tools are… USED tools. I’ve noticed it because I’ve been keep an eye out for some tools I wanted.

I don’t know if it has gotten any worse. There are a lot of items that are way overpriced and once in a while I will post it in the rants and raves. I think that the people who do list on CL now, as opposed to those that posted years ago make up a “Broader” representation of the populace. I think that may be what we are seeing.

As a side note, kind of on topic, I have a short story.I was looking for a Ridgid oscillating spindle sander. The first one I found seemed to be reasonably priced at just over a $100.00 US, but when I called him to ask about the belt attachment and the spindles, he said he didn’t know where they were. We could not agree on a price, mostly because I really didn’t want to buy half a tool.The next one I found listed, the person wanted $199.00 US. I sent him an email and offered $100.00. He took offense to my reasonable offer and stated he would give away his sander that was worth well over $350.00 to him. I sent him an email with a link to the HD down the street that had four of them for sale at $200.00 plus tax of course. He sent me another email claiming that HD wouldn’t sell it to me for that price, but they did and I bought it new with a warranty. Personally I think there are just a lot more people on there, doing what they do. I deal with people every day in my line of work, in stressful situations, and you can always count on them acting like people. Some are just regular folks, but there sure are a lot of them with,,,,,,,,hmmm…....issues.I also wanted to add that I have bought from people who posted on CL. My last two purchases were a drum sander and then a Dewalt thickness planer. Both of those tools had a fair price posted and the tools were as advertised and I paid with without a haggle. I could tell both times that the seller was on guard and ruing the haggle before it even started. I felt then and I feel now that both machines were bought for a fair price.